Partially Resident Textures

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and system are provided for processing a graphics operation. For instance, the method can include partitioning a texture and associated mipmaps into memory tiles, where the memory tiles are associated with a virtual memory system. The method can also include mapping a first subset of the memory tiles to respective address spaces in a physical memory system. Further, the method can include accessing the physical memory system during a rendering process of a graphics scene associated with the first subset of memory tiles. In the instance when the graphics scene requires one or more memory tiles outside of the first subset of memory tiles, the method can also include mapping a second subset of memory tiles to respective address spaces in the physical memory system.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 422,324, filed Dec. 13, 2010, which is herein incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field[0003]Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to texture mapping.[0004]2. Background[0005]Texture mapping refers to a method for adding detail, surface texture, or color to a computer-generated graphic or three-dimensional model. When rendering computer-generated graphics, one or more textures can be applied (or mapped) to each geometric primitive of the graphic. These textures contain, for example, color and luminance data to be mapped to each of the geometric primitives.[0006]A challenge in texture mapping, among others, is the storage and management of textures and associated mipmaps. Mipmaps are pre-calculated, optimized collections of images that accompany a texture in video memory. Typically, prior to rendering a graphics scene, all textures and assoc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]Embodiments of the present invention include a method for texture mapping. The method can include partitioning a texture and associated mipmaps into memory tiles, where the memory tiles are associated with a virtual memory system. The size of each of the memory tiles can be based on a size of a macro tile (e.g., 64 KB) used in a texture swizzle pattern of a graphics processing unit. The method can also include mapping a first subset of the memory tiles to respective address spaces in a physical memory system. The memory tiles in the first subset of memory tiles can include one or more memory tiles that correspond to mipmaps with a predeterm

Problems solved by technology

A challenge in texture mapping, among others, is the storage and management of textures and associated mipmaps.

If the video memory cannot store all of the textures and associated mipmaps for the scene, the size, resolution, and level of detail for the textures and mipmaps are oftentimes reduced due to video memory constraints, thus compromising the quality of the rendered graphics scene.

In addition, an inefficient use of video memory can result from the unnecessary storage of textures and mipmaps that are not used in the rendered graphics scene.

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